Against the world
Abram-Village native representing Canada at youth championships
ABRAM-VILLAGE – Kristen Arsenault admits she never envisioned experiencing the calibre of opportunities the sport of archery has provided in such a short period of time.
“Absolutely not,” reiterated the 16-year-old daughter of Kevin and Michelle Arsenault, who will represent Canada at the world youth archery championships next week in Madrid, Spain.
“It’s so special to be able to wear the Canadian flag,” said Arsenault, who will enter Grade 12 at Evangeline School in September. “To know that you are representing Canada is such an incredible feeling, I love it.”
An important chapter to Arsenault’s story is that while she admits she always “enjoyed” archery, “it wasn’t my favourite thing to do” after being introduced to the sport by her father.
“Whenever they told me I could try out for the (2015) Canada Games the first time I was not into it,” said Arsenault. “I did not want to go and I just wanted to shoot for fun, but everyone was like, ‘It could be a good experience and you could have fun.’
“I was like, ‘OK, I guess I’ll go.’
“I had no idea this is where I’d be now.”
Now she is headed to her second world youth archery championships, after competing in Argentina as a 15-year-old in 2017. She was just 12 when she took part in her first Canada Games.
“The last couple of years she has obviously developed and matured as an athlete and as a person,” said Arsenault’s coach, Duncan Crawford. “She is stronger, she’s more focused and has been to this event before.
“She was there two years ago, in Argentina, and it is not unlike her recent Canada Games experience.
Her first Canada Games she was middle, bottom of the pack, and that experience of knowing what it’s like to be better and the pressure associated and not winning and learning how to lose gracefully, and then realizing what it’s going to take to win the next time you are there, which of course she did quite successfully at the most recent Canada Games.
“Most athletes are lucky to get to go once, let alone twice.”
QUALIFIED
Arsenault qualified for the worlds shooting in different tournaments last summer. Scores were submitted online and the top three scores advanced. Arsenault finished first in the 15-to-17 age category.
“My biggest goal is to go there and shoot my best,” said Arsenault. “To really shoot what I’ve been shooting at home here in practice and, hopefully, replicate the same thing there.”
Arsenault headed to Madrid full of confidence. She brought home a silver medal from the 2019 Canada Winter Games in February and last week won three gold medals in field, target and Canadian Open (match play) events at the Canadian championships in Prince Albert, Sask.
“I have been focusing a lot on my shot process and different things like that to make sure that everything is down solid (in preparation for the worlds),” said Arsenault.
Arsenault acknowledges her most recent appearance at the Canada Games was a big learning experience.
“It taught me I can do great things in archery and it boosted my confidence,” said Arsenault.
WORK ETHIC
A big part of Arsenault’s success, said Crawford, is her work ethic. She trains twice a week at Cass’s Creek Archery in Covehead and she will shoot around home occasionally. She also sees a sports psychologist.
“For an athlete of her age she has an unusual drive and focus,” said Crawford. “There is a lot going on in life today and for someone to have her drive and focus and to stick with a sport like archery for as long as she has and continue to be successful, that’s probably her real asset, not only to herself but to the sport.”
Crawford stressed a strong focus, short memory and mental toughness are keys in archery.
“In hockey, you can have a bad period and come back,” said Crawford. Archery is not like that.
“Every arrow that is not a bullseye is a point lost and you never get it back. You can hit straight bullseyes from then on, but you don’t get that one (bad shot) back. The best shooters are so close to perfect in major events that you need to come out swinging right out of the gate and you can’t have a lapse of focus even for a single end.
“Regardless if there is wind or rain or extreme sun and heat, you have to know how your body reacts, you have to be in peak physical condition. That mental toughness, lots of people can do that for a short period of time, but to sustain it for several hours and make every single arrow count. . . I can explain how tough that is and she is doing it better all the time.”